1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical drug pump, and more particularly, pertains to a hardware programmable infusion pump.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Presently the market potential for drug infusion pumps and services approaches $350 million per year, and is experiencing an annualized growth rate of 25-30%. Several major medical device companies have representation in this facet of the business, and the sales are spread across several competitors.
The present move towards health care cost containment has caused a great deal of price versus feature analysis in the purchase decisions for infusion pumps and related products. Additionally, products that decrease nursing time or facilitate drug delivery on an out-patient basis are experiencing a greater growth rate in sales. Infusion pumps generally are durable medical products, and are expensive, require nursing time to manage inventory and to refill, need repair, and cause additional cost in service contracts. The additional cost is passed on to the patient and ultimately to the third party insurance carrier.
There are currently two companies that provide disposable pumps for drug delivery. Travenol markets a balloon reservoir in a cartridge called the Infusor, and ISC markets a similar product. The balloon or bladder of Travenol has prestressed walls and when filled with a drug solution, delivers the solution with reasonable accuracy over approximately 24 hours. Neither device is programmable and costs approximately $30 per day. The major use of these devices is in cancer therapy, where a typical treatment cycle lasts at least five days resulting in at least $150 in pump costs. Secondly, the need for daily replacement adds nursing time and nursing expense.
The present invention provides a low-cost programmable disposable infusion pump that is intended for use in medical therapy where there is a continuous or recurrent need for drug delivery. The pricing of the pump in the marketplace, along with certain design features, provides the pump as a limited use device. Such diseases or disorders include cancer, chronic infections, cardiovascular and hematological diseases, severe pain and neurological disorders and diabetes. The pump is designed for single use in delivering 20-250 ml of drug solution over an undefined period of time. The product can be priced and marketed as a single-use programmable infusion pump or can be used as a multi-use programmable infusion pump.